Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971: Results

5. Bruce Dern in Drive, He Said- Dern does not have much of a part but he does make himself the best part of his film through his energetic performance.

Best Scene: The Coach reorganizes his team at half time.

4. Jack Albertson in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory- Albertson gives a nice warm supportive turn even if he is overshadowed by Gene Wilder for a large chunk of the film.

Best Scene: Grandpa Joe surprises Charlie with a Wonka bar.

3. Fernando Rey in The French Connection- Rey's is a minimalistic performance that realizes his French crime lord as an effective villain.

Best Scene: Frog one waves Popeye goodbye.

2. Andy Robinson in Dirty Harry- Robinson is a great villain by being both incredibly pathetic and exceptionally threatening.

Best Scene: Harry tortures Scorpio.

1. John Hurt in 10 Rillington Place- Good Predictions Mark, Moviefilm, and Michael McCarthy. This was a landslide victory for John Hurt as I did not have to think twice to give the win to him for his absolutely devastating performance as man who faces one tragedy after another that perfectly complements the terrifying lead performance by Richard Attenborough. I can sort of understand the academy's oversight of Attenborough because of their timidness for completely despicable characters, but there was no excuse for ignoring Hurt especially with the filler nominations given to Leonard Frey and Richard Jaeckel.

Best Scene: Timothy finds his wife after the murder.

Overall Rank:

1. John Hurt in 10 Rillington Place
2. Andy Robinson in Dirty Harry
3. Ben Johnson in The Last Picture Show
4. Fernando Rey in The French Connection
5. Jack Albertson in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 
6. Jeff Bridges in The Last Picture Show
7. Roy Scheider in The French Connection
8. Bruce Dern in Drive, He Said
9. Donald Pleasence in THX 1138
10. Roy Kinnear in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
11. Ian Hendry in Get Carter
12. Hugh Millais in McCabe & Mrs. Miller
13. Patrick Magee in A Clockwork Orange
14. John Osborne in Get Carter
15. David Battley in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 
16. Marcel Bozzuffi in The French Connection
17. David Warner in Straw Dogs
18. David Warbeck in Duck, You Sucker!
19. Reni Santoni in Dirty Harry
20. Paul Mann in Fiddler on the Roof 
21. Eddie Egan in The French Connection
22. Bryan Mosley in Get Carter
23. Godfrey Quigley in A Clockwork Orange
24. Bill Hickman in The French Connection
25. John Vernon in Dirty Harry
26. Aubrey Woods in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
27. Tony Lo Bianco in The French Connection
28. Charles Cioffi in Shaft
29. Roy Scheider in Klute
30. Peter Vaughan in Straw Dogs
31. Frederic de Pasquale in The French Connection
32. Anthony Sharp in A Clockwork Orange
33. Charles Gray in Diamonds Are Forever
34. John Larch in Dirty Harry 
35. Michael Bates in A Clockwork Orange
36. Charles Cioffi in Klute 
37. Leonard Frey in Fiddler on the Roof
38. John Mitchum in Play Misty For Me
39. Philip Stone in A Clockwork Orange
40. John Mitchum in Dirty Harry
41. Gunter Meisner in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
42. T.P. McKenna in Straw Dogs
43. Robert Towne in Drive, He Said  
44. Harry Guardino in Dirty Harry
45. Rene Auberjonois in McCabe & Mrs. Miller
46. Moses Gunn in Shaft
47. Romolo Valli in Duck, You Sucker!
48. Paul Glaser in Fiddler on the Roof
49. Clu Gulager in The Last Picture Show
50. David Prowse in A Clockwork Orange
51. Paris Themmen in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
52. Warren Clarke in A Clockwork Orange
53. Leonard Stone in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
54. Randy Quaid in The Last Picture Show
55. Michael Bollner in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Facotry
56. Charles Tyner in Harold and Maude
57. Barnard Hughes in The Hospital
58. Murray Head in Sunday Bloody Sunday
59. Charles Aidman in Kotch
60. Josef Summer in Dirty Harry
61. Michael Margotta in Drive, He Said

Next Year: 1999 lead

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971: Bruce Dern in Drive, He Said

Bruce Dern did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning NSFC, for portraying Coach Bullion in Drive, He Said.

Drive, He Said is about a star basketball player Hector who deals with problems with an affair he is having and his protestor friend who is in fear of the draft. The film was Jack Nicholson's directorial debut and it is obvious in the film, much like Sean Penn directing for the Indian Runner although he had a better script to fall on, that he was trying far too hard to show himself to be director with a distinct style and vision. It is no surprise that Clint Eastwood continued his directing career and Nicholson rarely returned as Eastwood's debut film from the same year, Play Misty For Me, is a far more assured work.

Drive, He Said is a film with many ineffectual performances that often come off as obnoxious, dull or just simply not very cinematic. The great exception to this is Bruce Dern in the role as the Coach of the Basketball team Hector plays with. Bullion is not to much of a character he is just always trying to push Hector to fly straight and push his team to win the game. Dern's performance just has a presence no one else has in the film. When he is on screen the film does come alive in a certain way because he brings a certain energy to the part sorely missing from most other places in the film. Although the point of his character is simple Dern does bring this point alive effectively.

Dern does well in showing the differences in the Coach's approach. When in practice or on a game Dern reflects the intensity of the situation as he portrays the Coach as being particularly direct to get his points across as quickly and firmly as possible. Dern makes Coach Bullion like a military strategist positioning his troops and motivating him his way so they get the job done. When they are not on the court Dern tones down Bullion to make him a believable character. Dern still makes him forceful in his attempts to shape up Hector but shows him to be much quieter yet still persistent figure. Dern instead of having the piercing criticisms of the court, he makes Bullion criticisms in the form of a restrained disappointment.

Unfortunately for Dern as well as the film itself Coach Bullion is not featured all that often and really the character is almost entirely made by Dern's performance. Dern tends to be a reliable character actor and certainly is reliable here. There is just only so much he can do with his underused and underwritten character, but hey he did make me wish the film had been about his character's story to bring his team to the championship. This is not a great performance by Bruce Dern but it certainly is a solid one which does manage to steal the film even though there really is not all that much of a film to steal.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971: Andy Robinson in Dirty Harry

Andy Robinson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the Scorpio killer in Dirty Harry.

Dirty Harry went on to have four sequels none which came close to the strength of the original film. Although all of the films, besides The Dead Pool, had a devoted Clint Eastwood they always lacked a personal arc for Harry and something even more important which was a good villain. The only film that even came close to a good villain was the first sequel Magnum Force although that was not in the main villains who were rather silly looking traffic patrol death squad but rather the last minute reveal villain played by Hal Holbrook. The only film which has a great main villain is the very first film and a great deal of the credit for this needs to go to Andy Robinson's performance as the serial killer who calls himself Scorpio.

For the first third of the film or so we mostly see the actions of Scorpio as he murders people and leaves ransom notes demanding money to be paid or else he will commit more murders. The first murder we barely see him but the second attempted murder we see Scorpio make his preparations. Robinson is exceptional in the scene as we see Scorpio mark his target. Robinson is quite chilling in the scene as he loses his mark then he finds his potential victim again. Robinson is great as he brings the most eerie smile over his face as Scorpio sees his chance to murder has returned, in his expression he shows the sick sadism of Scorpio very effectively. We don't learn why he does this, but from here we can see he certainly enjoys it.

Once we see more of Scorpio Robinson makes a most unusual but remarkable dynamic for his character. Robinson makes Scorpio a very pathetic and very threatening character all at the same time. Through his meek posture and his squeal Robinson makes Scorpio clearly a weak and very lowly individual. In this though Robinson brings an unpredictability of the man through the viciousness of his psychotic behavior. He mixes in the violence with his overall lowly state to make this a very visceral performance. Due to his more pathetic qualities when Robinson brings out the violence it is all the more jarring and Robinson makes every scene with Scorpio have an underlying intensity as you don't know what he is going to do.

Scorpio is a most interesting adversary for Dirty Harry as the only quality they share is their ability they share is their ability to kill fairly efficiently. Where Eastwood stands tall, Robinson well stands short, Eastwood's voice is firm and forceful, Robinson is fluttery and whiny, where Eastwood makes Harry emotions rather self contained that although can be intense are always in control, Robinson shows Scorpio become an emotional mess very easily. This juxtaposition absolutely works as Eastwood and Robinson complement each other's performance marvelously. Their scenes together have a raw power as both go all their way in their differing characters making for some very memorable moments particularly the torture scenes with Eastwood being so controlled and Robinson being such a wreck.

Robinson's turn as Scorpio is a bit underrated as villain turn goes and his influence is rarely mentioned as I think you can see some of Scorpio in Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. The crazed psychopath is easily a part that an actor can go too far with, but Robinson handles it incredibly well by showing the way the extreme craziness comes out at certain times. Robinson builds to it as it becomes time for violence that is when Scorpio begins to well lose his composure a bit. Robinson handles the progression in natural fashion even though this is not a case of the evil coming out, and even when Scorpio seems come Robinson plays him in a particularly slimy way. This might not seem like a large leap but Robinson makes an art of going from slime to psycho.

Robinson makes Scorpio a most despicable and completely unsympathetic villain, and that is completely the right approach. He never takes a step back showing Scorpio revel in everyone of heinous acts, Harry says Scorpio likes to kill and Robinson supports this point. This is the best approach in the film as we want Harry to torture Scorpio, and we want him to kill him at the end with that build up to the 6 shots or only 5 scene at the end of the film. Robinson is great in making Scorpio the lowest of the low. He is creepy, one scene where he walks through a park is especially off putting as he looks so happy around children, he is threatening, he is  just all together deplorable. Robinson makes a great villain you hate, and takes an interesting approach that absolutely works where he is not the equal to Harry but rather a brilliant subversion.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971: Jack Albertson in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Jack Albertson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Jack Albertson plays Grandpa Joe a man bedridden for twenty years and one of the four grandparents of the poor Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) who hopes to be one of the lucky children to find a golden ticket that will give him a tour of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Albertson is the very traditional sort of supporting performance here in that Grandpa Joe is always supporting Charlie with moral support any way he can. Albertson is very charming the role just having a genuine warmth needed for the part. He has just the right sweetness without becoming saccharine, and serves the film well with his bright personality in the early scenes of the film where Charlie faces some big disappointments.

Albertson handles his scenes very well being the kindly encouraging grandfather to Charlie, and does well because they are not all happy moments. Albertson's best scene is when he surprises Charlie with a bar and they open it together to find nothing. Albertson brings such genuine emotion to the moment as Grandpa Joe first shares Charlie's excitement but then sadly has to tenderly comfort his grandson after their disappointment. Another scene that causes some complaints is when Grandpa Joe gets out of bed because he sings a song to do it. I really don't mind because Albertson really does deliver with the song, not necessarily with how good or bad his singing voice is, but rather with an energy and brightness to bring the joy of the situation out quite splendidly.

Once the film steps in the Chocolate Factory Albertson takes a back seat, in fact everyone does, to Gene Wilder's performance as Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder owns the film without question and for most the tour the most everyone can get out is a surprised reaction or two. No one for a moment steals Wilder's thunder during these scenes and as the reactionary cast goes I would probably say Roy Kinnear as Mr. Salt probably does the best. Albertson is not bad in these scenes, he handles all the little moments he has well enough, but they don't leave too much of an impression with Gene Wilder around. This is not a criticism against Albertson though, but rather just praise for Wilder.

Albertson does get one scene at the end of the film when Grandpa Joe confronts Wonka after Wonka has said that Charlie will not receive the lifetime supply of chocolate due to a violation of contract. Albertson is very good in the scene as Grandpa Joe angrily denounces Wonka's actions and even suggests they go to Wonka's competitor with information. The moment does not pain Grandpa Joe in a bad light at all though because Albertson shows that where the anger comes from is his disbelief that Wonka would honestly treat a child that way opposed to having any actual malice. It's a good moment for Albertson as it lets him fulfill the important role Grandpa Joe had in the film's opening act. Albertson does not steal that scene or the film, but he adds very nicely to the film as a whole by being the tender support Grandpa Joe should be.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971: Fernando Rey in The French Connection

Fernando Rey did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Alain Charnier in The French Connection.

The French Connection did receive a supporting actor nomination for Roy Scheider's fine work as the partner of Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman). Fernando Rey though was not nominated for his performance as the film's villain the Frenchman Alain Charnier who intends to smuggle a large amount of heroine and sell to a New York criminal. Fernando Rey though is given a small story of his own as the film depicts Charnier set up his plan to exchange the heroine. These scenes are relatively short but uses them well to allude to Charnier's nature. Rey carries himself well and in doing so creates Charnier as an astute, seasoned, and above all high class sort of criminal who wears his profession below the surface unlike his New York counterpart.

Aside from the scenes of him setting up the deal this is mostly a silent performance by Alan Charnier in all of the scenes where Popeye is trying to follow him and keep him in sight. In this part of his performance Fernando Rey is excellent in being the adversary to Hackman's Doyle. In Hackman's performance all the frustrations and the effort of a hard boiled cop, Rey acts as the perfect foil to Hackman's performance as he shows Charnier doing everything to escape Doyle's pursuit while he stays completely calm cool and collected. When the two play the game on the cat and mouse is a great scene but it is made even more memorable by Rey and Hackman's performance. The scene's end is unforgettable as we see the angry Doyle lose Charnier, and Rey's brilliantly smug face as Charnier waves goodbye to Popeye.

Rey is pretty consistent in his performance until the very end of the film when Charnier himself has to deliver the drugs rather then use his patsy friend. Rey is again silent in these scenes and is very good in showing the manner in Charnier change to reflect his grievousness and indicate that handling the deal is clearly the last thing that he ever wanted to do. The best moment comes when the tables have turned with Popeye and Charnier changing places from the subway scene with now Popeye being the one giving the wave. Rey makes the moment extremely satisfying because he shows all the confidence drain right out Charnier face. This is a relatively simple role but one that Fernando Rey handles well with his very assured performance. Rey without much screen time hints at who this man is but more importantly to the film as whole makes Frog one the elusive mystery that you do want to see Popeye catch.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971: John Hurt in 10 Rillington Place

John Hurt did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a BAFTA, for portraying Timothy John Evans in 10 Rillington Place.

10 Rillington Place is an extremely effective film about the serial killer John Reginald Christie (Richard Attenborough in a scary as (four letter expletive) performance).

John Hurt plays Timothy Evans who with his wife and infant daughter move into the top room of a house which they rent unfortunately from John Christie. One of the great strengths of the film is its strive for a realism throughout the film including depiction of Timothy Evans's relationship with his wife Beryl. Their marriage is made out to be far from ideal as both find themselves rather troubled by their poor financial state and the fact that Beryl finds herself once again pregnant. John Hurt plays Timothy as a fairly average man, with somewhat below average education and intelligence perhaps, and give one of the most authentic performances ever given in playing just a rather undistinguished sort.

Hurt is great in making the relationship between Timothy and Beryl very real and making Timothy a man who is clearly far from perfect. Hurt, in the some relatively brief moments gives a very vivid look into the married life of Timothy Evans. Hurt brings us the lovely moments of when they are just starting out in their new place or when he is on a romantic date with his wife. These scenes are key to Hurt's portrayal as Hurt does show that Timothy does love his wife and does have some good times with her. In the scenes of their fighting though Hurt lets us look into any key hole of a man fighting with his wife with all the anger, screaming and bitterness played so naturally by him. Hurt importantly makes Tim's frustrations just as ordinary as they come.

One of the qualities of Timothy is simply that he is not all that bright. As I've said before playing a not overly intelligent character is challenge as they simply can seem to give a stupid performance that does not realize the character, or base the character solely on the mannerisms to prove the character's lack of intelligence. John Hurt of course does neither of things and he makes Timothy's level of intelligence a subtle but important facet in his character. He is not dumb in that he acts stupid as played by Hurt, he acts like a normal person most of the time, but what Hurt shows so well is that Timothy has to take time to really understand things in an entirely concrete fashion. Hurt's exceptional portrayal of this quality becomes especially important late in the film.

Timothy's nature though comes earlier into plays as well in a few very important moments all of which Hurt knocks out of the part. In one scene we see Timothy telling a tall tale at a pub although he is acting like it is an authentic one. Timothy is lying but Hurt plays it well by making the story as a simple joy for Timothy nothing more than that. He might even believe it in a way, but it is all just a bit of an escape for him. Timothy's nature comes into play again when his wife wants an abortion which Christie says he will be able to do. Hurt does well in showing the mixed frustrations in Timothy as he can't support it as he sees as wrong at a very base level. When Timothy agrees to it though, Hurt makes it believable as again his change is a simple agreement with Hurt showing, once again, that Timothy has not thought it threw completely.

After Timothy agrees, things take a turn for a worse as Christie murders Beryl although he lies to Timothy telling him it was due to the one in ten chance that the abortion could cause his wife to die. John Hurt is so good in these scenes it becomes rather hard to watch the film. The moment in which Timothy examines his wife is especially heartbreaking due to Hurt as he only suddenly notices that she is in fact dead rather then merely being injured. Hurt so naturally portrays the progression of grief and confusion as Timothy can barely understand what is happened. This is such emotionally draining performance to watch because Hurt is so honest in these scenes because the grief he portrays in Timothy stays there right with him as something he obviously could never forget.

Timothy has no time to grieve, so to speak, as Christie tries to instruct him that something must be done to cover their tracks. Hurt continues to be outstanding in his portrayal of the complexities that come to Timothy. Timothy is not to bright and Hurt shows Timothy is simply overwhelmed by the events to the point that he cannot even comprehend the situation. Hurt brings to life the complete scatter of emotions that Timothy is. There is confusion, extreme sadness, guilt, and disbelief all there in Hurt's performance. The way Christie is able to convince Timothy not to call the police, and to even to leave his daughter in the hands of Christie is made entirely believable by Hurt. Hurt shows that Timothy s not able to see anything clearly in his state and that is what leads him to follow Christie's orders.

Timothy, after following Christie's suggestions briefly, does give himself to police although attempts to lie to keep Christie out of it at first. Again Hurt makes Timothy's actions wholly believable as a result of both his simple nature and his troubled mental state. They are also made so powerful because of again how genuine he is as Timothy deals with his own shame and condition and tries to confess to the police what has happened. These scenes are truly disheartening by John Hurt's performance because he does convincingly destroy Timothy's credibility to the police, all the while though he is exceedingly moving in the investigation scenes because we know he is telling the truth. The moment Timothy hears of his daughters fate is absolutely heart wrenching with Hurt's perfect reaction that realizes the horrible sorrow in Timothy but also his final understanding that is was Christie who did it.

Timothy John Evans must be one of the most unfortunate men ever depicted onscreen as not only is his family murdered he is put on trial for their murder with the sentence being death by hanging. All of the final scenes with Hurt are terrific in creating the tragedy of Timothy Evans. Hurt still leaves Timothy a simple man he is even as he is pleading in his life. Hurt is incredibly powerful as he keeps Timothy of his nature as tries just to tell everyone that it was Christie who did it not him in his very plan way, as he is man who does not know anyone to plead his innocence. 10 Rillington Place is brutal in its keeping with the facts of the real life story and because of that the end of Timothy is quick and vicious, and only made more more painful by Hurt still showing the disbelief and sadness still in Timothy. This is an outstanding achievement by John Hurt as he gives a flawless portrait of a real man who was the victim of evil.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1971

And the Nominees Were Not:

John Hurt in 10 Rillington Place

Andy Robinson in Dirty Harry

Fernando Rey in The French Connection

Jack Albertson in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Bruce Dern in Drive, He Said

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